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Waiting and hoping

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Page context: Home > Transport International Magazine > Issue 26 January 2007 > Waiting and hoping

Months after the ceasefire in Lebanon, the suffering of port workers continues. So too does the solidarity expressed by their fellow dockers worldwide, as Bilal Malkawi reports

I can still recall the port of Beirut when I visited it in 2005 – full of life and the bustle of thousands of workers toiling day and night. I have visited the port three times since the six week conflict that ravaged Lebanon in July and August 2006. Immediately following the ceasefire, it was largely vacant and lifeless. Even now it is far from busy.

On my first visit after the ceasefire, I found many workers sitting around with nothing much to do but scrutinize the faces of visitors to the port and try to guess what the future would bring. Two port workers lost their lives during the conflict, and as a direct result of the hostilities and an ongoing Israeli blockade, 800 more lost their incomes.

Of course Beirut was not the only port affected. All five of the main ports in Lebanon have suffered disruption and job losses, with casual workers the most affected. Other transport sectors also suffered from the blockades, which were lifted in September following protests by ITF unions and other groups.

"Two port workers lost their lives during the conflict, and as a direct result of the hostilities and an ongoing Israeli blockade, 800 more lost their incomes"

The lifting of the blockades allowed only 300 out of 1000 casual dockers to regain their jobs. Unlike the permanent employees who have lost work, the government is not giving financial support to the casual workers, who were hired on a daily basis. These workers, along with the families of the deceased workers, have been beneficiaries of a fund set up by the seafarers and ports unions to help them survive until sufficient business is back in the port for them to stand a realistic change of regaining work.

I have made repeat visits to Lebanon to distribute lump sum donations which have been made by the ITF and its affiliates, including our Nordic unions, the German union ver.di, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union of the US and Zenkoku Kowan in Japan, as well as the British national centre, the Trade Union Congress.

At the time of writing, business remained slow and much reduced. Lebanon is still classified as a war zone and so ships stopping at the ports are charged prohibitively high insurance. Most of the traffic has therefore been diverted to Syria and Cyprus and it is hard to say when it will return.

On my first visit in August, I was proud to be introduced to union members by the president of the Seafarers Union, Mr Naser Nazzal, as an ITF representative conveying the greetings of port peers and other transport workers from around the world.

Everyone was eager to participate in our discussions. Some sounded strong and steadfast, others bewildered, unable to grasp why this was happening to them.

When I returned with aid and support for the suffering workers I relayed to them the support and sympathy of transport workers worldwide. The father of one of the deceased workers approached and said:

“I know that 4.5 million transport workers have offered me and my family their condolences and I am deeply thankful to God for this attitude and common language that workers speak worldwide.”

Tens of workers then followed to receive the donation money, emphasising that while they appreciated the small amount we have been able to give them, what has meant even more is the knowledge that they have had the support and solidarity of their fellow workers during this crisis.

They signed a Lebanese flag and asked me to present it to the ITF in London. In the midst of all the suffering, it is heartening for those of us in the Arab region to see that transport workers worldwide have become more united and understanding about what affects their peers in this part of the world. In return, the transport workers of this region have developed a strong feeling of being part of the global ITF family.

Bilal Malkawi is head of the ITF Arab Office in Amman.

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Issue 26 January 2007

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